A Paradise That Transcends
by redcloudedleopard
Summary: Edward's death, based on the Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 series, leads him to the Inbetween realm where he meets Susie Salmon. She then shows him what lies ahead of each person in his or her afterlife.
1. The Plains

_- I'm kinda stuck with my other stories at the moment, but worry not - I WILL CONTINUE THEM. This is all I can deliver for this weekend. Hope you like it! -_

"Al?" Ed partially whispered, for the echoes gave him an advantage in the infinite stretch of the space. At last he could mouth out words, after the rise & fall of the hellish pain inflicted upon him by his half-brother, Envy. Tears formed at the side of his countenance, then trailed down fluidly. Next he trudged along the flat ground, every step fairly heavy. Around him was nothing but yellowish-white 'void', though not for long. It was minutes that elapsed before interesting splashes of colour began to weave in and out the 'void'.

Furthermore, to his utter surprise the ground started to slope. Only the colours gold, green & deep blue remained painted around him; however, there was movement much like that of a broad brush: as each hue took shape & made sense out of where he was.

A couple of hills that were almost flat came together on the widespread plains, covered by evergreen grass that looked as though it'd never perish. Ed thought he heard _music_…a woman's soft howling above the clings & clangs of exotic percussion. That was followed by a feathery flute's melody. Sunlight of the strangest but most beautiful kind rained down on him gently: without casting any shadow.

Only one other person seemed to be present in that neck of the woods. "Hey! Yes you!" The footsteps interrupted by rustling of grass reached his ears.

"I think I got my timing right," she hurried down the slope to greet him. Her hair wasn't quite mussy; it blew freely with the lovely breeze. Clad in a blue, white & red striped jacket, a red T-shirt underneath along with yellow pants, her amazing eyes danced together with the light.

"Hey," Ed spoke, almost grinning, "Have you seen my brother, Alfonse?"

She squinted the slightest bit, "I haven't. Sorry." She stationed herself a little nearer, to make it less awkward in conversing. He'd just overtaken her in terms of height, which proved to be a relief. "I'm Susie - Susie Salmon. Your tour guide for the Inbetween." He looked at her really stupidly, prompting her to add on, "Each time a newcomer arrives, one of us is assigned to guide him or her about the place. If we do it right, we'll get to Heaven."

It was quite a load for Ed to take in immediately. "The Inbetween? No - you've got it wrong, I was at the gate. Then the flash of my brother before he vanished.."

Susie threw a quick glance in the direction he came from, "It was at the gate that your time on Earth ended. Time has stopped for you since you got here." Seeing his agitated expression, she reassured, "There's no need to really hurry."

"No, I have to find Al! Before those sick megalomaniacs do anything more to him!" he was gesticulating with both hands.

"Wait a second, take it easy," came her smile. "Look."

Ed was appalled with the crystal clear image forming ten feet away, temporarily eating away at the endless plains.

"Looks like Al has done something noble for you," Susie mentioned. Alfonse, his soul still trapped in the armour, was performing an alchemic act. Red streaks covering his steel shell started glowing with indescribable brightness.

"No…he's…," Ed's jaw fell. It was Human Transmutation. The law of equivalent exchange being applied perfectly. Al was attempting to revive him. All that was left of his younger brother, for all that could bring Ed back in one piece. _What was going to happen to him? Would he be pouring into his older sibling's physical body the droplet of life left in him?_

"Susie, please tell me! If his soul leaves the armour, will he be coming here too?" he queried, anxious as ever.

"I'm afraid not," Susie dropped her gaze to the grass, "He's transferring his soul _voluntarily_. If I'm correct, people who do that don't _die_ - I don't know…perhaps they're transporting themselves -"

"Beyond the gate..," he pondered. "_That's right_! When I died I didn't enter _through_ that very gate! I had looked to the side & followed the shades of colour I saw."

"Mmm hmm," the corners of her mouth curved up. "With what your brother just did, you've received a chance to return to Amestris. But there are some really important things you should know before leaving." She checked to see if he'd try to break into a run, & double back. He didn't. "No matter how long you spend here, you will make it back. Time's at a halt here, remember?" she said.

"Sure. Okay," he seemed hesitant. Yet he concluded, "Show me around. I'm Edward, by the way. It's fine calling me Ed."

* * *

"So what exactly is Heaven?"

She muffled some laughter, "Are you kidding me? You've never heard stories - of how we can enjoy a perfect life in a perfect world if we die as selfless people?"

"No. The only other world I know of is a place where the laws of physics guide nature's course."

She led him through the grassy lands that were now golden instead of green. "That's my world. Though I hated science…boring & dull. I dreamed of becoming a wildlife photographer, capturing a moment in time & holding it forever in a precious sheet." The walk wasn't going to be that long, though a good enough distance to get to know him better. She put forth the next question, "What about where you're from? I noticed Al was using magic or something."

He followed close behind, "I was an _alchemist_. In alchemy we understand the structure of things, then break them down before reconstructing them into a new product. Most importantly, we follow the law of equivalent exchange. None of us gain anything without first giving something in return."

"Doesn't sound too bad for my taste…I like the _depth_ of it…You must be from a world parallel to Earth."

His response was no more than casual, "It's called Amestris, actually."

"You know, you're lucky to have gone _fast track_. I saw that where you appeared was half as near to Heaven's border compared to the place I first arrived. When I died I started all the way from the tip of the afterlife."

"Really? Why's that?" he flashed his gaze completely at her, liking how the light was on half her face.

"I hadn't forgiven my murderer. That was a long arduous ladder to climb..I got my dad's body broken for a time, after willing him to hunt down that _monster_."

"You were killed? How?" his tone dropped to seriousness.

She did a deep inhale first, "Mr. Harvey was a neighbour of ours; queer & eccentric, but friendly on the surface. But on that December evening he lured me into a hole he'd spent months digging, saying I should try out the new kid's 'underground clubhouse'. As the sun went down I was raped, then butchered. My body was in fragments & spilling all the blood it held.."

"Oh. I'm sorry…," he quickly looked away.

"It's okay. You only feel negative emotions if you cross from Heaven into the Inbetween. I'd lighten up again when we get there." She wanted to express how puzzled she really was, "How could you not hold a grudge against your killer?"

"Envy was no longer human. Therefore I didn't believe he'd ever have a conscience." "It was quick how he killed me, but nevertheless _razor sharp_. He could form his hand into a blade, then he drove it through my heart. The last thing I saw while I choked up my blood was the chandelier blurring away."

"Haha, no fair! I think you suffered less than I did!"

"Well, yes & no. It takes longer to fade away when your murderer chops you up, but I personally think that doesn't compare to the pain of a pierced heart." The talk was lightening up once again as he added, "Funny, I was nearly chopped up once - but Al saved me in good time. If he didn't show up, I would've been put to death by Barry the Chopper!"

"That's freaky…," she chortled. "Guess we can identify with the feeling of having our souls ripped from their shells."

"Yeah."

There was utter silence, nothing but the balmy wind.

"When we reach there, first things first I'll take you to the ice-cream parlour."

"Ice-cream?"


	2. The Waltz

"_New_? _New to the very invention of ice cream?" _laughed the incredibly jolly man with a radiant face behind the counter. "Well that's something unheard of in both my before & afterlife!" Next he caressed the fur of his companion named _Niva_, an attractive, gentle white tiger with the silkiest fur. She wasn't the first animal Ed saw relishing the company of a human friend here. Susie had explained how nature abided by laws that were 'topsy-turvy' in this new, fresh life, if compared to the world one knew beforehand.

"He's new to the power of flight too, Goldwin," Susie told the youthfully energetic man. But neither of the both of them were surprised…people who came into Heaven the very first time cried _rivers_ when discovering the power to lift themselves up in the air, & move freely. Their joy would pour out in singsong chants & bell-like laughs. You could fly to any other place, anytime, in the heavenly realms.

"I never knew anything about the world you all came from," chuckled Ed, "except that a city called London was invaded by giant airships." Goldwin handed him a cone with a pastel-coloured scoop of _Baby Blue_ topping it. His customer had been so bewildered by the colour & flavour range that he'd circled the enormous counter six times! To make one round he would've been walking fifty feet in distance. & there were _countless_ other ice-cream parlours in the land.

"He's from a place called _Amestris_," Susie smiled. "Did you know that we had a world parallel to our own while still on Earth?"

Goldwin's hairy brows shot up as he exclaimed, "Why, NO! But hey, it would only mean Heaven's the _centre_ of all worlds! Beautiful fact, isn't it?" He leaned forward, "The coolest thing about an ice-cream parlour in Heaven is: none of the ice-cream melts, though we get full blasts of lovely sunshine."

"Thanks. I'll be seeing you again! This is _real_ good!" Ed let the spoon reach his mouth the second time. Never before had any food been so pleasing to his palate. As they left the shop, which had no entrance doors as it was open air, Susie said, "The best part is we don't have to _pay_ for anything up here! Everyone gives so that everyone can take. So long as it starts with the giving, for it's one of the Master's core principles we live by to be eternally happy."

Just outside the parlour was a view that overlooked the huge Lake, given that it was situated atop an evergreen hill. A very massive beach ball with three stripes could be seen rolling about slowly with the equally tall waves, all at the far edge of the body of water. You could ride on Below them, winding up the tall hill, was a path with gazebos - or little shelters along it. People only used them for the pleasure of the panorama, for no one experienced tiredness from long walks in Heaven.

"Everyone's…so full of joy here," he was almost speechless. "The feeling's so foreign to me." As Susie studied every groove carved in the strange face of her new friend, she understood the emotion quickly - if your eyes look as if they're miserable but your mouth turns up in a smile, your heart is resonating deeply with the puzzling truth that life goes on, even after death.

Groups of people cheering & laughing like you'd never hear elsewhere. Animals large & small paraded about in celebration of a life that lasted eternally. These were an inkling of the things that entered his line of vision. No one would age here. No one would die again here. There were no limits to whatever you could see, do, hear, touch…Ed felt rooted in this way of life.

Susie took him to the summit of one of the great Mountains - where everyone gathered in the evenings to give thanks to the Master. Ed had questioned Susie on who this "Master" character was, & even asked if he could see him personally. She'd merely flashed him a grin in response; something he wouldn't have wanted. However, his emotions were heightened so positively in this place, so much so that he _couldn't_ feel anger or sorrow or any form of suffering.

Sound travelled far in the temple built into the Mountain they were heading for. It was that big a size to accommodate everybody in Heaven at one time. Indescribable was the sole word etched in Ed's mind: as he & Susie walked through tall white arches mostly coated in gleaming gold. His time in this world was passing so fluidly, unlike the rise & fall of cruel, trying periods in the previous life.

"We always begin with a dance. Tonight it will be elegant, & will melt your heart," said Susie. Taking his hand, they strolled into the dome-shaped building. Ed felt the temple was _beckoning_ to him to enter - & be immersed in the happiness shared among every other man, woman or child present.

A beautiful, talented lady by the name of Sarah, was going to worship with a song she wrote that evening. It held a moving melody that rang across the whole of Heaven itself. The temple dome was filled to the brim with her graceful rhythm, & was illuminated with the warmest coloured light set against a sky painted with sunset. The crowds were spellbound in a lovely waltz of voice, piano, percussion & other rich layers of instrumentation. Everybody was seemingly 'gliding' with ease across the floor by the time she'd begun singing:

_I can't believe that you're walking away from us__  
__Could not conceive we'd ever be done__  
__But I feel you drifting you don't have to hide from me__  
__I just keep hoping you let me in_

_Maybe I can't help but talking may, I am here for you_

_Time passes us by and the way we love changes__  
__And we're learning to waltz through the waves like everyone__  
__Let it keep us from falling__  
__Would you dance with me now?_

_The candle burned out and we stumbled around in the dark__  
__And I can feel you slipping away__  
__The band keeps on playing the world keeps revolving__  
__Around all the static, the noise in between_

_And we need to hear that song again, let the love shine through_

_Time passes us by and the way we love changes__  
__And we're learning to waltz through the waves like everyone__  
__Let it keep us from falling__  
__Would you dance with me, dance with me now?_

_New walls new ladders, none of this matters__  
__We can't walk on water, we can only do better__  
__If its not forever, if it's time to go I will always remember__  
__I want you to know_

_When you held me in your arms and said,__  
__let the love shine through_

_Time passes us by and the way we love changes__  
__And we're learning to waltz through the waves like every one__  
__Let it keep us from falling__  
__Would you dance with me, dance with me now?__  
__Would you dance with me, dance with me now? _

Of course, Susie had started out with Ed as her partner, though each dancer changed partners with as many other people as it took till the music faded to a stop. With each progressing line of the lyrics, people swirled & twirled to meet a new companion to dance with. Whenever he wasn't giving his partner a friendly gaze, his eye flew to the infinite number of storeys of the temple, above & below. Man, woman & child swayed their bodies in tandem with Sarah's hypnotic vocals.

Ed was introduced to a number of heavenly neighbours he failed to count, but constantly wondered how many seconds, minutes, months or years had flown by since he felt Susie's tresses brush against his cheek. Or the cooling fire in her eyes. It was the feeling of utter ecstasy, but nothing like the shallow kind.

He was reunited with her in the song's last few beats, & as the tune came to a close she embraced him. Her feathery fingering around his shoulders & back made his pulse catch at odd intervals. Just then she ran her index finger through the braid of his hair. In a new heavenly body, you had the same heart, mind, & soul like you did in the past. But they were more _repaired_, more _functional_ & more _alive_ than in any other point in time.

"Welcome, _Edward_," echoed somebody from the top floor of the temple. The Master's features were arresting to every other member of the crowd; he must've been at least six feet tall. A smart yet elegantly beautiful suit he was clad in, & he greeted all those below with a swish of his hand. They all bowed to their King & Ruler, before turning to face the newcomer from Amestris.

* * *

_The waltz tune is one of my favourite songs, "Changes". Artist is Sarah McLachlan. Since you've been already interested enough to read this chapter, I highly recommend you listen to this AMAZING soothing song! _


	3. The Tower and Shore

_The lyrics for the song in the chapter are part of Linkin Park's "Blackout". Credit goes to the band._

* * *

"Did you know that even if you wear white around here, your outfits will never be stained?" the Master's voice bubbled with enthusiasm. Ed looked down to see that his clothing had been recoloured. Unlike before, the fabric glowed with such strange intensity. He wondered how many more innocuous - and deadly - powers this man before him wielded. Could he use alchemy too?

In the highest tower of the holy temple, birds and many a flying creature decorated the sky. Most noticeable were the seagulls; their squawks were persistent, but the chorus was beautifully crisp and brought to people's minds the images of ocean waves on earth and in heaven. The cool evening air brushed against Susie as she laid eyes on her new friend, "It looks especially good on you."

"Edward Elric, I've called you here so you'd be privy to some life-changing knowledge," said the Master. "That death isn't the end."

"I think I realized that when I met Susie back there," came the boy's sarcastic chuckle.

"Of course. I just want you to know that if you believe in all I say, you can open all the right doors to the right passages in life."

Then the alchemist's brows knit together, "Sorry to doubt but what makes you ruler over this whole universe? What makes you so worthy of all the trust I've got left?" Anger flooded his mind that instant, along with the pain of the memory of a loved one - his brother.

"Believing is seeing. Contrary to what the world says, child." The king's right hand began to rise…and twirl. Something bright caught Ed's eye while he raised his head.

Bloody stripes on a surface of flesh.

Hooded men in black and white, chanting in a rage from across what seemed like an ancient temple.

Whips flying and cracking.

And finally, dark red blood pulsing and pooling into the crevices of a tiled stone floor.

"I persisted in convincing them that who believes in me shall not perish. I performed miracles, healing the sick and aiding the poor. Yet they accused me of crude blasphemy, letting me die the slowest imaginable death."

The last the boy saw was a muscular man who'd been nailed to a pair of wooden blocks. He looked very handsome in spite of the thorns driven into his skull; beneath the oozing blood, tears could be seen streaming down. Ed looked from the eyes of the crucified victim to those of this graceful ruler in the room. He next nodded in affirmation.

"He bled till only water flowed out of his body," Susie stepped closer to a petrified Ed, until their shoulders rubbed. The warmth of her body could not take away the sting of the visions he'd beheld.

There was a mere stutter from the alchemist. "How could you let them do all that? Look at all the stripes you took in your sacrificial act!"

"Forty lashes less one is not a figure to boast about," the reply was immediate. "Yes, they were heartless, and brutal. But if I had retaliated, the _truth_ of their choices wouldn't have reared its ugly head, no?"

A pause lasting moments followed. Ed was now shaking. "Are you…are you _God_?" Behind his golden orbs were his own tears piling up. This feeling was the oddest he'd experienced in a very long interim.

"It is you who say I am, my child. Though this 'God' is so unlike him whom they worship in Lior." The alchemist thought of Father Cornello and his lies briefly. This was a precious discovery made known. The Master's expression was moving, "You have free will to decide who you spoke to this moment. Take this with you, so you'll remember I love you this much."

In one hand of his, a powerful ornament was being fashioned. Golden sunlight emanated from the king's mighty palm while he shut his eyes, as if to pour his equally mighty thoughts in the concoction. The final product was a _pocket_ _watch_. A new pocket watch to hang beside the boy's silver one which represented his status as a State Alchemist.

"Hold on, we're not finished here," Ed's voice was joyful but choked up. He took the gift, rolling it to relish its weight and value.

Kindly, the Master closed his hand around the alchemist's. "Time allows you to understand my words best. Continue laying down your life for your brothers, just as you did…for _Al_."

* * *

"What are you getting at?" Ed snapped out of the confines of his mind. Susie had been talking but he was so teared up that he felt his ears were clogged too!

"It's some ironic world we are born in, huh? When you tamper with the natural course life takes, that's when things start going awry. I made such mistakes while still in the Inbetween. But they were for the greater good," Susie skipped about on light feet.

"Hmmm. You're right."

"Anyway, enough with the heavy! I know a place we should visit...before your time comes to leave."

Inside he was shocked this all went by so quickly. However, he refused to express it.

"Come on, it's gonna be a blast," his friend now held his right hand in hers. Did that mean that same hand was becoming _automail_ again soon? By then, he would no longer be able to feel the softness of her skin.

Another wonderful worship ceremony was taking place, this time along a vast pristine shore of the kingdom.

_Floating down / as colors fill the light  
We look up from the ground / in fields of paperwhite  
And floating up / you pass us in the night  
A future gazing out / a past to overwrite _

The Master wasn't one to miss a party; he had made the opening speech below a grand pine tree that acted as the beach's main landmark. He thanked all those present for love and kindness, and peace. A whole ensemble of jovial musicians - ancient and modern - were set in place, and so began the singing and dancing in tandem.

_So come down / far below  
We've been waiting to collect the things you know  
Come down / far below  
We've been waiting to collect what you've let go_

Come down, oh.  
Come down, oh.  
Come down.  
Come down, oh.  
Come down, oh.

"You're…really beautiful," Ed's eyes shone, riveted by every sight, sound, taste, and smell around him. He and Susie stood atop a cove touched by the lilac sky. Voices of crowds celebrating wafted on the mild breeze. Suddenly, he felt electricity course through the gorge in his chest. Her lips met his. "That's a kiss I never gave the cutest boy in school. Ray Singh," her gentle orbs opened wide.

Left speechless, all Ed managed was a great smile. Susie added, "Hope you didn't mind. But I can't feel any pain missing him up here, for the Master says there's a positive reason for every event. Ray's having a longer Earth life than me because he's got a different set of situations to deal with. His life purpose differs from mine, of course."

"This is the kiss…I never gave Winry," came his turn to speak.

"Before you leave, Ed -" she lowered her head, gaze still locked with his. "Could I ask a favour?"

"Anything. Yes."

It was hard believing what he next heard. "When you go back, in the year _1981_ please tell my sister Lindsay…that I love her."

"You outta your mind? I don't know how I'll make it to your world, from Amestris." He laughed in such a way that the sound was left ringing long after. Just then she took him by the arm, as they started their stroll back in a familiar direction. He felt it. The time to leave. Looking to her for whatever reason, he swore she had answered the previous question.

_But you will, _he read her lips.


	4. Green Lawns

"The Master said it is now the year 1921 in Amestris. You would be 68 years old in the year I died - in 1973," said Susie.

Something violently flashed in Ed's mind, "If I can find my way to Earth before your death, I could save you!" The knowledge of the time difference between their worlds…it hit him - he could search for Mr Harvey, and the underground hideout he was to murder Susie in.

"No need to." Her gentle finger was on his lips now. "My death was for the best. It happened so the Salmon family could know what it means to heal." At this he became silent, letting the breeze of the plains fill the void.

"Norristown, Pennsylvania. Find Lindsey in an old house that has been made new, and the rest will follow," she concluded.

His hand released its grip from hers.

* * *

"Edward, can you hear me?" It was Rose, holding her baby. He had returned to life in this underground city, hidden beneath central. Only the three of them and the homunculus Wrath remained in the huge room.

"Yeah," Ed looked to her, feeling something slide down his cheek. "But…what am I crying for?" As he wiped away the tear, his expression changed with rapidity - his automail arm had been flesh and bone since his journey with Susie.

Rose explained, "He used alchemy to bring you back Ed. After you died."

"Don't tell me…don't tell me he's gone!" The alchemist recalled the image he saw in the Inbetween, of Al performing Human Transmutation. But he registered what was now needed of him. _There's a chance his soul hasn't crossed the Gate…I can trade my body in return for his, so both his soul and body might be brought back to this side…_

Having somebody special at your care was a strange thing. A love like this was so powerful that it could put selfishness to rest, when you lay down your life - partially or wholly - for that somebody._ It's worth a shot. I don't give a care what happens to me. But I hope it will somehow help Susie._

Ed found a piece of blackened chalk lying by the room's furniture, probably left behind by Al. With that he began to draw the transmutation circles for his noble alchemic act…

* * *

"It has to be. This home looks Victorian. And renovated," the woman beside him had an inkling of impatience in her eyes. He smiled at his wife, sighed, and proceeded to the fine-looking door of the house to knock.

"Hello?"

"Hi there. I'm looking for a Lindsey Salmon?"

The sound of locks clicking made him so nervous. And volatile. He almost wanted to run till the trees bled beside him. Before him was the face of a jolly young woman cradling her beautiful infant daughter. The baby's porcelain features…oddly reflected the one who'd led him through the afterlife. "Yes, I'm Lindsey. How may I help?" the woman's smile toasted her face.

"My name is Edward Elric," the man greeted heartily. He held his breath for a pregnant pause before adding, "Did you have a sister, named Susie?"

Everything froze. The colour seemed to escape her and she lost the smile. "I did." No more light danced in her hazel orbs. That was when Samuel, her husband, trudged over to the entrance. He had overheard it all and said in a terse manner, "What would that matter at this point?"

Ed and his wife did nothing but look down, avoiding eye contact. At last, Lindsey brushed a hand against Samuel's chest. "No Sam, I have to hear this. Why don't you two come inside?"

Clearly a lot of work had been done to give the living room such a cozy feel. Lindsey led the guests to a cream-coloured couch with naturally textured cushions. Sam followed behind them, eyes weary and peeled. Yet he couldn't help but conclude that the couple really did seem harmless. Ed began, "My children and grandchildren brought us to America for the first time. I heard of Norristown and what happened eight years -"

"- go on, please." Sam wanted to make sure Lindsey wasn't skimming the surface of the trauma again. He didn't want a voice of broken glass croaking miserably in the next few minutes (or hours).

Ed leaned forward to capture and hold their gaze, "I met her in the Inbetween."

A slow nod from Lindsey preceded her words, "My brother Buckley mentioned this place before. How do you know all this?" She couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off his.

"It was a near-death experience. Susie guided me through some wide plains, showing me what a person goes through when meeting his fate." He took a deep breath to keep calm. "And she wants you to know how much she loves you."

Lindsey's next nod was faster, and fervent. Eyes welling up, she cupped her face in both hands, but with sobs that were more joyful than sorrowful. Ed didn't know what he'd do next. Fortunately his wife's hand slid over his to wash away the awkward feeling.

"You trust them?" soft murmurs from Sam reached Lindsey's ears.

She replied, "Honey, it feels so right. Besides, what does an elderly couple have to gain - if they're just telling us a lie?" From the corner of his eye he flashed a glance at their visitors, when Lindsey's cool hand reached for him. "I can't _not_ believe, Sam. If my sister's death can bridge gaps between people, what more could it possibly do?" As she looked up, he noticed how radiant she had become. Had this resulted from Edward's news?

Lindsey then chuckled, much to Ed and his wife's surprise. This strange event and sudden mention of Susie was begging a question. "Where are you from, Edward?"

Up in Heaven and by Goldwin's counter, Susie let the weight of her chin rest on a hand. A titter of birds circled the rolling hills and milled about in harmony with the other creatures and people. Her sea of thoughts though, couldn't be more weightless. She closed her eyes and was admitted to the sight of two large families gathering on a refreshingly green lawn. The Elrics and Salmons getting to know one another, eating together and sharing and caring. Edward was celebrating his 76th birthday, sharing the occasion with Jack Salmon who'd been born on the same day though in a different year.

It was a memorable February the 3rd, when a 14-year-old girl's death had brought about something far better.


End file.
